AI Damage1992 Saturn SL: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Saturn SL filed 123 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 123
- involving a crash
- 18
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 24% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 15% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 4% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 29 complaints (24% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 24 complaints (20% of all).
- Service brakes: 19 complaints (15% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 18 complaints (15% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 16 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.9 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 123 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 29 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 18 | 6 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
We were driving on the highway going 70 mph when the steering wheel came loose and fell off causing me to lose complete control of the car. We were in the far right lane of three lanes and the car pulled us across the other two lanes, down a very steep ditch and into the median where we hit many small trees.
1995 saturn sl2, incomplete deployment of passenger side front airbag in moderate frontal collision. Portions of the air bag fabric melted the internal componets of the module.
The back of the driver's seat failed and collapsed during a minor fender bender. The seat collapsed. Due to poor inadequate welds.
The consumer stated the driver's seat back collapsed and when the seat reclined, the seat belt did not restrain her.
Ran off road and hit stump< burst into fire within seconds>airbag failed.
Her seat belt was buckled, but at impact her upper torso was whipped forward, then the front seat reclining mechanism gave out and the front seat popped up to its upright position, then when her shoulder belt caught she was thrown back into the seat. She died of severe brain trauma, but there were no marks on her.
Rollovers with saturns/ in looking for parts I have found over ten saturns at junk yards. The operators of these yards have seen many saturns as rollovers and say it is a very common problem -
Consumer was involved in a rear end collision in which driver's seatback released and collapsed into a reclining position. Please give any further details.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,086 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SL has 185 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 123, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Saturn SL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, service brakes. Total complaints: 123. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (13%), brake failure (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Saturn SL?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1992 Saturn SL from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1992 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.